Business Features

Necessity is the mother of invention, states the proverb. In the midst of this unprecedented 2020 pandemic, it is more hand sanitizer that is needed and it is distilleries that are inventing new production methods. St. Augustine Distillery was one of the first nationwide distilleries to have stepped up to the innovative challenge.

On August 1, 1943, the crew of PT (patrol torpedo) boat 109, with Lieutenant John F. Kennedy at the helm, set out from the Solomon Islands to halt the “Tokyo Express,” but their mission went awry. In the middle of the night, a Japanese destroyer collided with the smaller ship, knocking the crew into the water and setting the boat aflame. Kennedy’s valiant swim to shore (with an injured crew member in tow, no less) would catapult him to war-hero status. What you might not know is that a small Jacksonville boatmaker played an important role in this particular chapter of American naval history.

Assuming a highly enjoyable culinary experience is on your agenda, you might want to start with a well-crafted bottle of wine accompanied by a few slices of artisanal cheese and charcuterie. Considering their exotic origins, your meal can quickly become a journey of global proportions.

This annual list features top-notch, locally-owned eateries that are favorites of the Arbus staff, our friends and readers. All are worth visiting for an exceptional meal and a unique regional experience. Use this list to get to know our community through its indefatigable restauranteurs and excellent food.

More than ever before, clients are coming to me saying that they want to have a marketing strategy that works well across multiple platforms, but doing it well takes a tremendous amount of buy-in from other leaders in their organization —buy-in they don’t know if they will be able to get.